In aircraft designed for long-haul flights there are closed sleeping and rest compartments for the aircraft's crews. These compartments are exclusively intended for use by the crew and are designed in such a specific manner that the crew can therein spend their rest phases and sleep phases on beds or seats.
Such rest compartments or sleeping compartments for members of the aircraft's crew are referred to as “crew rest compartments” (CRCs). CRCs are separate rooms that are only available for use by members of the crew. Members of the crew are divided into two groups, namely the flight crew, i.e. the pilots, and the cabin crew, which are frequently referred to as stewardesses or stewards. Pilots and the cabin crew have separate rest compartments, and consequently a distinction is made between flight crew rest compartments (FCRCs) for the pilots, and cabin crew rest compartments (CCRCs) for the cabin crew.
In long-distance flights with an extended flight duration of 8-18 hours, crew rest compartments are necessary because these flights are flown by two crews. There is thus the possibility of halving the service-free period between the first meal and the second meal on board, and in this arrangement rest 50% of the crew while the other half of the crew is on duty, and apart from monitoring the cabin and the lavatories is available to passengers for the provision of drinks and snacks. In order to ensure adequate rest for the crew, as a rule crew rest compartments must meet more stringent requirements relating to sound insulation than is the case for the normal aircraft cabin.
Flight crew rest compartments are always installed in close proximity to the cockpit so that in the case of an emergency the second crew can intervene quickly. Flight crew rest compartments are equipped very basically; they usually comprise a sleeping berth and a seat. The cabin crew rest compartments are installed in various locations in the aircraft. They provide more comfort than the FCRCs. The equipment of these compartments includes a separable dressing area with a mirror to allow the crew to freshen up for duty. This is important because the cabin crew has direct contact with passengers and represents the airline.